A C-172 pilot got caught in a severe downdraft.

Attributes
ACN	269884
Time
Date	199404
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : phk
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : crw
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other other
Route In Use	enroute airway : v267
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 600 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	269884
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance other anomaly
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : regained aircraft control flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

We were in IMC conditions at cruise power (2400 RPM on a c- 172) and conditions first were 'light turbulence' to 'light chop.' suddenly, the airplane began to sink at a rate of 500 FPM for a couple of seconds, and then it was showing the maximum rate of descent possible on the vsi (2500 FPM). Airspeed built up and passed the red line very quickly even though I cut the power to idle. As you might imagine, we entered a high speed stall and could not do anything to control the airplane and get away from the extreme downdraft for which I made a PIREP and also reported the uncontrollable loss of altitude to pbi approach. The only thing I suggest is to cut the engine, try to control the airspeed, but there is nothing to do to avoid an extreme downdraft and the loss of altitude. We recovered -- better yet -- the airplane came out of the high-speed stall and leveled at 2000 ft. At this point we could see the ground and tell whether we were upside down, nose down or whatever flight attitude, or thing. We couldn't tell in the clouds.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C-172 PLT GOT CAUGHT IN A SEVERE DOWNDRAFT.

Narrative: WE WERE IN IMC CONDITIONS AT CRUISE PWR (2400 RPM ON A C- 172) AND CONDITIONS FIRST WERE 'LIGHT TURB' TO 'LIGHT CHOP.' SUDDENLY, THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO SINK AT A RATE OF 500 FPM FOR A COUPLE OF SECONDS, AND THEN IT WAS SHOWING THE MAXIMUM RATE OF DSCNT POSSIBLE ON THE VSI (2500 FPM). AIRSPD BUILT UP AND PASSED THE RED LINE VERY QUICKLY EVEN THOUGH I CUT THE PWR TO IDLE. AS YOU MIGHT IMAGINE, WE ENTERED A HIGH SPD STALL AND COULD NOT DO ANYTHING TO CTL THE AIRPLANE AND GET AWAY FROM THE EXTREME DOWNDRAFT FOR WHICH I MADE A PIREP AND ALSO RPTED THE UNCTLABLE LOSS OF ALT TO PBI APCH. THE ONLY THING I SUGGEST IS TO CUT THE ENG, TRY TO CTL THE AIRSPD, BUT THERE IS NOTHING TO DO TO AVOID AN EXTREME DOWNDRAFT AND THE LOSS OF ALT. WE RECOVERED -- BETTER YET -- THE AIRPLANE CAME OUT OF THE HIGH-SPD STALL AND LEVELED AT 2000 FT. AT THIS POINT WE COULD SEE THE GND AND TELL WHETHER WE WERE UPSIDE DOWN, NOSE DOWN OR WHATEVER FLT ATTITUDE, OR THING. WE COULDN'T TELL IN THE CLOUDS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.